2019 Hunt Notes

[Voyageur]

Have decided to do my small part in helping others pass time during this strange event we are currently in the midst of. These notes are what I wrote while in the field and mostly unedited, so please forgive the many grammar inconsistencies. I repeat, these notes are largely unedited.
I have purposely omitted the pilot's name as well as the location hunted, so please don't ask.
I will attempt to get a picture attached, but am not making any promises.
If you enjoy the story even half as much as I did the hunt I will have accomplished my goal in sharing it.

 

[Voyageur]

Sat 8-24 Day 1
Fly in Saw moose dall sheep and caribou. Landing strip was a rocky ridge top. Set up camp below the ridge off to the side of the saddle the caribou pass through. Found a beautiful little spring about .5 mile from camp. Took 2 hrs to haul water.
Sun 8-25 Day 2
Frost this morning. Decent caribou movement. Spent most of day observing to determine a pattern. Saw some good bulls. Cold and windy all day and night.
Mon 8-26 Day 3
Cold and windy am. Sun came out midday and warmed things up. Very little caribou movement in the morning. Built a good blind in a clump of willows west of camp down near the bottom.
In the afternoon built a rock blind in the saddle south of camp. Afternoon caribou movement still slow.
Tues 8-27 Day 4
Woke to rain and wind. Had breakfast and coffee in tent. Very little caribou movement although one good bull came through the saddle midday. Passed through about 60 or 70 yards from my blind. Too far for a shot. Rained off and on until about 5:00 pm. Filtered water when rain stopped. Getting water was a 1.5 hour chore mostly because of the straight downhill to the spring and then straight back up to camp. Can tell I’m in better shape than I was when I arrived 4 days ago. 3 bunches of cows calves and small bulls passed through the saddle this afternoon. Hoping movement picks back up tomorrow. Plan to hunt with bow through Friday and then if necessary switch to the rifle the last 2 hunting days. Really want one with a bow but also definitely want to bring caribou meat home.
Wed 8-28 Day 5
Day started as usual...woke to wind and light rain. Temp was slightly warmer. As always enjoyed coffee with my breakfast. Glad I brought the aeropress. Laying in the tent right now waiting for rain to pass.
Almost 11am and still raining. Nothing to do but wait it out. Temp seems to have dropped some since early morning. I don’t think we’ve had a high yet above the 40’s.
2 pm and still raining. Looked out tent door just in time to see a small bull walk right by my saddle blind. Need to be patient with the rain. With these cool/cold temps I can’t afford to get soaked. With no quick way to dry out things would get serious in a hurry.
Rain finally quit at around 2:30. Just as I was exiting the tent a huge bull appeared 100 yards west of camp. He saw me so there was no chance for a stalk. His size made me think twice of the rifle. After glassing the draw to the west of camp I decided to sit for the rest of the day in the saddle blind. Two groups came through but none close enough. Nothing in the groups I would have shot anyway.
Thurs 8-29 Day 6
Finally some decent weather. Temp upper 30’s/low 40’s. No rain. Wind under 30 mph and scattered sunshine. Because of the difficulty of hunting the saddle with a bow I hiked about a mile west of camp and set up observation midway down the slope. Decent caribou movement. Mostly cows calves and small bulls but saw one group of six good bulls. Every time I thought I had an ambush figured out the next group followed a different path. My current plan is to forget about finding a pattern and try to head the next group off. Also have decided to switch to the rifle tomorrow. After seeing that brute yesterday I want to allow myself enough time to be somewhat picky.
Really enjoying how the sunshine is highlighting the fall colors. Red orange yellow and shades of green...stunning.
Forgot the toilet paper at camp this morning. Been years since I used grass.
1:30 pm had my first serious stalk of the trip. Lost sight of the bull but got in good position on the cows and calves. After watching them meander by and looking carefully back along their path for the bull I slowly stood up only to spook the bull who had somehow come up to about 25 yds behind me. How he got there I haven’t a clue but I saluted him as he snorted and trotted off.
Caribou movement has come to a standstill the remainder of the afternoon. Will watch till 5 pm and then take a roundabout path back to camp in order to go by the spring and filter some water.
Side note on the weather: Today turned out beautiful. Temp feels to be 50. Sky is blue and wind is down to 15 mph or less. Nicest day we’ve had. After seeing a total of 4 insects the previous 5 days it is amazing the insect life showing up with this warmer weather. Fortunately no mosquitoes or white socks though.
While filtering water I was crouched in the willows by the spring and when I looked up a decent bull was grazing past at about 35 or 40 yards. Had I been ready I could maybe have done something with him. As it was he spotted me about the time I spotted him.
While hiking back to camp tonight it struck me how thankful and fortunate I am to still be able to hike the hills with a pack on my back and a bow in my hand. The pack is lighter than years past and my pace is slower but there is nowhere else I feel more alive and in tune with the higher power. My one hope is that each of you can join me a time or two (or three) while I’m still able to be out here.
Rifle is up tomorrow…

 

[Voyageur]

Friday 8-30 Day 7
10:10 AM just shot a bull that I watched come from over a mile away this morning. He was all by himself, and with the sun shining was really easy to see with his white neck and freshly polished antlers. Ready to walk down to him now. I’ve reached the stage where anytime I shoot an animal I have very mixed emotions. Very happy for my success, but also sad that the hunt is over. If there was anyway I could perfectly time it to last right up to the last minute I would do so. Time to go check out my caribou.
He was everything I thought he was...good tops with shreds of velvet still hanging, long bez tines with average points, and a nice wide shovel. Very happy with him. The more I hunt the more convinced I become that we don’t “get” animals. They offer themselves to us.
The shot was approx 160 yds. Purposely put it through the front shoulders and he dropped on the spot. The Remington 700 300WM with Remington factory ammo and Barnes 180 gr TSX bullets did its job.
Now the real work begins.
Finished with the butchering and meat hauling just as the sun set. 9 hours and change. I’m tired but very thankful to be able to still get up and down the hills. Glad he fell less than a half mile from camp. Just wish it hadn’t been straight downhill.
Having to work like this to salvage an animal’s meat adds a dimension to the hunt that too often is missing. Heck it adds a missing yet much needed dimension to the meat on our tables.
Slept like a rock with only one episode of an almost leg cramp. Fortunately it didn’t materialize.
Sat 8-31 Day 8
Frost on the ground again this morning. second morning below freezing.
Started the day by contacting the pilot telling him of my success. He is going to try to get in and get us and the meat out tomorrow. To be ready for his arrival hauled the meat and antlers up the ridge to the landing strip. Not nearly as exhausting a hike as yesterday.
Looked at the caribou carcass hoping to find a wolf but no luck.
Filtered water for the last time mid day. Spent the afternoon up on the ridgetop rotating the meat bags so they cool and glaze. Noticed while trimming up the skull on my Caribou that it is apparently a very old animal. His teeth are worn right to the gumline. In between rotating the meat bags I just sat and soaked in the solitude. Alaska is an amazing place.
Sun 9-1 Day 9
Had everything packed up to the ridge top by 11:00am.
It’s a good thing I shot my bull when I did. He was literally the last good bull to move through the saddle. In fact only saw another half dozen or so caribou. Lesson to be learned: If the caribou movement seems to be slowing down and drying up...listen to your gut.
Waited until 1:30 for the pilot to arrive. A stiff southerly wind made landing tough. After 10-12 attempts to land I didn’t think he would be able to get us out today. Finally, on what he said was his last attempt, he found a line that worked and got the Cub set down.
In two trips he had all gear moved about 30 miles away to a staging area. Said he would try to make it back before dark with his Cessna 185 to fly everything out in one load back to town.
The staging area was along a beautiful creek filled with Grayling and lined with willows. While waiting roasted several chunks of tenderloin on willow sticks over an open fire...delicious beyond description.
Just when it seemed certain the pilot wouldn’t be back until morning a plane appeared in the distance and and moments later touched down on the remote landing strip. In less than 15 minutes all our gear was loaded and we were headed back to town. The last half of the 45 minute trip was in darkness.
After touching down in town I got the Caribou meat in the pilot's freezer, settled up with him monetarily including a tip for all his hard work and hospitality, and just like that it was back to civilization.
I went on this trip thinking it would probably be the last time I hunted Alaska. Maybe it will be, but I sure would like to spend some time chasing moose…
Final thoughts:
Throughout the trip I was keenly aware of the “sound of silence” all around me. It’s not a sound I can articulate, but it was there and it was audible. The longer I was in the bush and the more connected to the wilderness I became the more aware I was of the silence and its sound. Wish I could explain it better. Those of you who have spent time in wild places can relate. (And, yes, I often found myself silently singing Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence.”)
Here is a bit of advice for those of you who dream of going places and having adventures whether it be hunts, fishing, travel, or whatever. Please don’t wait. Stop dreaming and start doing. Life is meant to be lived, not planned.
Footnote:
With my application for an Alaska Airlines Visa Card preparations have begun for a return trip to hunt moose. A free round trip airline ticket takes a big bite out of the expenses.
PS
I've paid a deposit on my 2021 moose hunt.....let the excitement build!!!

 

[Voyageur]

 

[Voyageur]

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[Voyageur]

 

[Voyageur]

 

[Indian Summer]

Very good write up thanks. I’m booked for a moose hunt in 22. We’re doing a ridge top hunt as I want to make sure I can use the spotting scope to save on footsteps as well as minimize getting human scent everywhere. We’re allowed to shoot caribou at no extra charge. I’m in a drop camp and can hunt as many days as we want so I’m thinking the 10th to 26th flying out the day after moose season ends.

I know caribou will be all or nothing so I hope that by staying as late as possible we get some movement. Congratulations on your hunt and thanks for sharing.

And remember with that AA Visa card you can fly a partner for only $100. I have over 100,000 miles so I’m good!

 

[VernAK]

IIRC, once a year Alaska Airlines sends a "Companion Fare"......been a long time since I used one.

 

[AKBorn]

Thanks for the writeup and photos! I am very familiar with the Sound of Silence....for me it seems like a low, barely audible humming sound. I have heard that it is something that our ears may generate as they are trying to detect sound, but who knows. It is a palpable and peaceful sensation for sure.

EDITED TO ADD: I also know what you mean about the plane showing up just as you are mentally accepting another night in the tent. There's nothing like hoping that you can fly out that day, and letting your thoughts wander about a hot shower and a full cooked meal, only to have the weather turn and think "nope, I don't think they can get us out this evening." Then when you hear that engine roar as the bush plane pops out of the clouds, that's a great feeling.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Thank you for transcribing your journal.

I've personally concluded it's seldom really silent out there. The wind seems to always be blowing to an extent and that's a sound in itself. Raindrops on tent or jacket. Raven passing somewhere above. Maybe a creek with its constant rush and tumble, depending on where I'm camped. But certainly, all the ordinary sounds of everyday life are just a memory. It's great when the only thing I hear is the wild voice of Alaska's backcountry.

 

[Voyageur]

Thanks for the writeup and photos! I am very familiar with the Sound of Silence....for me it seems like a low, barely audible humming sound. I have heard that it is something that our ears may generate as they are trying to detect sound, but who knows. It is a palpable and peaceful sensation for sure.

EDITED TO ADD: I also know what you mean about the plane showing up just as you are mentally accepting another night in the tent. There's nothing like hoping that you can fly out that day, and letting your thoughts wander about a hot shower and a full cooked meal, only to have the weather turn and think "nope, I don't think they can get us out this evening." Then when you hear that engine roar as the bush plane pops out of the clouds, that's a great feeling.

EXACTLY, Vern. You nailed it on describing the "Sound of Silence."

 

[Voyageur]

Thank you for transcribing your journal.

I've personally concluded it's seldom really silent out there. The wind seems to always be blowing to an extent and that's a sound in itself. Raindrops on tent or jacket. Raven passing somewhere above. Maybe a creek with its constant rush and tumble, depending on where I'm camped. But certainly, all the ordinary sounds of everyday life are just a memory. It's great when the only thing I hear is the wild voice of Alaska's backcountry.

Couldn't agree more, Kevin.

 

[VernAK]

It's difficult to describe the sound of solitude in the wilds.
I'm severely hearing impaired but I'm the old guy in our party that first hears
the wolf howl or the hum of a Supercub before it's in sight.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

Thank you very much for putting this together. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Simple, descriptive and beautiful

 

[Wapiti1]

Great read. It really took me back to the last time I was in Alaska hunting.

I cried when I heard the plane coming. It occurred to me that whether I wanted to or not, I might not get to come back.

Jeremy

 

[OFFHNTN]

Very cool! Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Devildogg]

Thank you for sharing awesome!!!!

 

[etsanger]

Thanks for sharing! It's amazing how being in a place devoid of people and the constant notifications from media allows you to reflect and appreciate the life we have. Hope to have a very similar experience this fall.

 

[mweller]

Great job and thanks for sharing!!!